The answer to that is:- Yes, and it can, and does, happen to those who have done loads of practice, play with fluency and confidence, and have a real understanding what they are doing.

So it’s definitely worth singing the praises of Simon Otter who, in his first piano exam, taken in Leeds, was awarded 142 marks.

If you are someone who also thinks you deserve such recognition, then you will no doubt do as he did; diligently practice the pieces to a high standard of performance, whilst giving considerable attention to the “supporting tests” of scales, sight-reading and aural.

In fact, while we’re on the subject, anyone who is in the least bit serious about playing a musical instrument will appreciate the real value of sight-reading practice; it requires a different approach from learning pieces and scales.

Sight-reading can be devilishly frustrating and needs buckets of concentration, but the rewards of eventually being able to sit down (or stand up) and bash out a piece without ever having seen it before are immense, not to mention the utility of this skill in the real world of musik making.